Direct observation of substrate induced exciton in carbon nanotube

Abstract

We have successfully measured the electroluminescence spectra of a single-walled carbon nanotube (CNT) grown to serpentine shape on quartz substrate. We observe two emission peaks: One locates at 0.85 eV and is identified as the usual E11 exciton peak, and the other locates at slightly higher energy of 0.94 eV with similar symmetrical line shape and comparable intensity. However, the extra peak is substantially wider and it broadens with increasing current at unusually faster speed. We show that the extra peak is not from interband transitions, and ascribe it to a type of exciton induced by the formation of substrate-CNT superlattice. The periodic surface potential of the substrate modulates the CNT band structure, causes degeneracy lifting and band flattering at the Brillouin zone, and generates the higher energy exciton. For confirmation, a similar device is fabricated using amorphous SiO2 substrate to avoid the formation of the superlattice. Indeed, the extra emission peak disappears.